Satyan Mehra
Director & Chief Advisor, iConsult Mortgage Brokers
Bachelor of Business in Accounting and Finance
His work never feels like work, says business alumnus Satyan Mehra who now runs iConsult Mortgage Brokers; one of the most awarded broking firms in New Zealand.
“My work is a passion and I absolutely love it. I’ve had a strong career at two major banks, BNZ and ANZ, before I decided to start my mortgage broking company in 2017. Since then the company has received a number of awards, and I’ve been named as one of the Mortgage Global 100, the top mortgage professionals across the USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
“In addition to running iConsult, I have successful businesses in the accommodation sector, early childhood education and property development. I also ran a very successful multi-unit Pizza Hut franchises business and was the youngest Pizza Hut franchisee in Australasia. I’ve since sold the businesses.”
He is proud of what he has achieved in his career so far.
“The industry recognition and the reputation I’ve built for myself in my field make me proud. I’m probably the most awarded advisor by NZ Adviser and my name was included in the Mortgage Global 100 ranking alongside some very senior level executives. I believe that my success is due to taking my education as a foundation, combining it with the skills I’ve learnt and following my passion right throughout.”
Discovering his love for business
While he has certainly found success in the world of finance, when Satyan first came to New Zealand in 2007 he had quite a different goal in mind.
“I came to New Zealand to study medicine, but I arrived about six months before I was due to start my medicine degree so decided to join an introductory business at AUT in the meantime. The idea was to familiarise myself with New Zealand and the university culture here, and help myself settle in before starting my medicine degree in Otago. I absolutely loved the course and AUT, and then decided to pursue business instead. This was a huge change given I had studied science subjects in high school and hadn’t previously studied anything related to accounting or business.”
Studying at AUT has been a huge part of shaping his life and helping him get where he is today, Satyan says.
“It has been a very rewarding journey. The courses and the way they were delivered pushed me to think critically, innovate and improve. One big thing I always talk about learning from university is soft skills, including personal reflection, negotiations, understanding different perspectives and ethics. A lot of these were part of our courses and they do come in handy no matter what you do. For example, I still undergo personal reflection when faced with difficult situations on what I could have done better or what went wrong, helping me continually raise the bar.
“The support from the academic staff and the career services team was top-notch, guiding me every step of the way. Plus, the diverse community at AUT helped me build meaningful connections and understand different cultures. It was an unforgettable journey that shaped both my personal growth and career path.”
Advice for other students
Satyan has some great advice for other students who are only at the start of their university journey.
“Be proactive – no one is going to put opportunities in your lap. Connect, network and grow. Reflect on yourself, and work on improving yourself. Look up to people ahead of you, and learn from them. Finally, don’t be too harsh on yourself, but at the same time, don’t give up. The word impossible says ‘i-m-possible’. It’s just how you read it.”
His other piece of advice is simple: follow your passion.
“When your work is something you love, it will not feel like work anymore. Whatever you decide to do, try to be at the top of your game.”
